Connection for door closers



March 15,1938. I C. N MrrcHELL X 2,110,889

CONNECTION FOR DOOR CLOSERS Filed July l5, 1935 -Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNETE STATES PATET OFFEQE coNNEoTIoN ron Doon oLosERs Courtney N. Mitchell, Strongsville, Ohio Application `uly 15, 1935, Serial No. 31,387

9 Claims. (Cl. 16-49) The present invention, relating as indicated, to is available and where it is necessary that the Connections for door Closers. is particularly didoor to which. the closer is attached be closed rected to the provision of an arrangement wherewith a force which continually increases as the by the door closer can be installed within a limdoor swings toward the latching position. This ited space such as ordinarily eXists between the invention has distinct advantages from the standrnain door and the screen door or storm door in point of neatness, inconspicuousness and har-- the usual residence installation. Heretofore door mony with surrounding architectural features. closers could be installed betweendoors only if One of its chief advantages'lies in the ease of the doors were spaced at considerable distance assembling the door closer and its related parts 10 and then at a considerable sacrifice in the eiiecto the door and the door casing and in the low 1o tive closing force exerted on the door due to the cost of the parts required to make this assembly.- unfavorable direction of pull caused by the neces- This invention is particularly adaptable to a door sary proportions of the linkages employed, When closer of the type shown in my Patent No. there is insufficient space between the doors for 1,836,383, but is quite'readily applicable to closthe door closer and its linkages, the door closer ers of other forms and constructions. l5 must be installed onthe Outside 0f the building VReferring now to the drawing, the door closer which exposes the device to weather conditions 5 is attached to the door casing 5 by means of and possible loss by theft. This outside installascrews l and bracket 8 which is secured permation presents an unfavorable appearance and denently to the housing of the closer 5. The

tracts from the harmony of the architectural bracket 8 is' sufficiently narrow and of such form 20 scheme. The principal object of this invention as to require but limited space and extends very is to obviate the above disadvantages by prolittle beyond1 the diameter of the housing of the viding means of installing the door closer in a door closer. The main door 9 swings on hinge very limited space between doors. Another obi0 and ordinarily is provided with another door ject is to provide means of securing a very efeccloser located on the inside of the building and 25 tive pull on the door at the latching position. which is not shown on the drawing. The storm Another object is to provide a means of varying or screen door l'l turning on hinge l2 swings the pull on the door by changing the leverage as outwardly to Athe position shown in the broken the door swings. Another object is to provide lines at I3.

a means of adjusting the position of the door The lever M, which is of channel forni, is at- 30 lever relative the door. A still Vfurther object tached to the tapered and fluted shaft of the door is to provide a means of connection for a door closer 5 by meansY of screw l5. The bracket closer which is composed of inexpensive parts I6 is attached to the rail ci the door by screws easily and cheaply assembled. I'l. This bracket carries adjusting plate i8 To the accomplishment of the foregoing and which is provided with an elongated opening i5 35 related ends, said invention, then, consists of the through which bolt 2t passes and which serves means hereinafter fully described and particuas a means of clamping plate i8 in adjusted posilariy pointed out in the claims. The annexed tion to bracket i6. The roller 2i is attached to drawing and following description set forth in the outer end of plate IS by means of shoulder detail certain mechanism embodying the invenrivet 22, this rivet acting as a journal bearing 40 tion, such disclosed means constituting, however, for the roller. A recessed head 23 of the rivet but one of the Various mechanical forms in which prevents the roller from becoming detached from the principle of the invention may be used. the plate when it is removed from the channel In the said annexed drawing Fig. 1 is a plan of lever it. The edges of the channel may be view of the door closer as installed between two bent inwardly as shown at 24 if it is desired to 45 doors and shows the door structure in section on maintain the roller and lever in dennite relation the line i--i of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevation to each other. In this case the roller is assemof the door closer installation as seen from the bled into the channel by inserting it into the enposition indicated by line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig, 3 larged portion 25 adjacent the boss for the atis a section on line 3 3 of Fig. l showing the door tachment screw l 5. 50 attachment bracket on a somewhat enlarged The Outer end .0f the Channel Shaped 1er/er is scale. provided with a semi-circular end 25 which serves The present invention is particularly adaptable as a stop for limiting the angular movement of to installations of light storm doors, screen doors the door, the roller engaging the inner surface and in other locations where only a limited space of the curved flange end and preventing move- 55 ment beyond a position predetermined by the length of the lever and the position of the closer on the door casing. This limit of the door movement is a little beyond the position shown by the broken lines in Fig. 1.

As the torque exerted by the spring actuated shaft of the closer turns the lever I4 and closes the door, the roller 2| is caused to move along the channel of the lever toward the end attached to the door closer. The length of the moment arm contacting with the closer is thus gradually reduced which more than compensates for the loss of torque in the door closer spring as it approaches the closed position. This moment arm may be made smaller and the force exerted on the roller much larger at the closed position of the door by placing the bracket Iii nearer the hinge. Ordinarily the distance from the door closer to the roller is of the order of two and one half inches when the door is closed'and is seven to eight inches when the door is fully opened, thus giving a length ratio of open moment arm to closed moment arm of approximately three to one.

After the installations of the door closer and the door bracket have been made the adjusting plate I 8 may be regulated by means of the slot provided therein and clamp bolt 20 so as to secure the correct position for the release of the hydraulic resistance within the closer for the engagement of the door latch as may be provided in the internal construction of the unit.

As may be noted from the drawing, the door lever as well as bracket I6 and plate I8 are made from sheet metal which insures low cost of production of these parts as machine work is eliminated and the weight of the material required is very much reduced from that ordinarily needed for the production of such parts. The door lever Il! has a drawn boss 26, substantially in the form of a truncated cone which engages the tapered fluted shaft of the door closer and which provides for any easy means of making the major or coarse adjustment, the adjustment provided by the slotted opening in plate I8 being the minor or fine adjustment.

For the purpose of avoiding the slipping of plate I8 on bracket IS when the roller 2l engages the end 25 of the door lever in the full open posisition of the door, the plate I 8 is provided with a contacting surface having iine sharp flutes and is hardened to provide a substantially positive engagement with the bracket I 6 which is made of soft steel. In some cases, the plate I8 is omitted and the bracket I6 is extended to provide place for the attachment of the roller 2l directly to its outer end. Suitable washers or shims for adjustment may then be used between the bracket and the door il.

In order to conceal the door lever I4 and bracket It and to improve the general appearance of the device When the door is open, a sheet metal cover may be provided of the form substantially as indicated by the broken lines at 2l. This cover may be nished to harmonize with the color and general appearance of the door to which the device is attached.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivaient ci such stated means be employed.

I therefore point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

l. In a connection for a door and a door closer, a channel shaped arm having an end portion attached to the door closer, and a roller adapted to engage said channel shaped arm, said roller being carried by a plate, and the said plate being adjustably secured to a bracket carried by the door.

2. In a connection for a door and a door closer, an arm having an opening to receive a shaft of the door closer, a channel in said arm to receive a member attached to the door, the said channel having a closed end to limit movement of said member, and means for adjusting the position of said member relative to said door whereby said arm is brought into substantially parallel relationship with said door when the door is in closed position.

3. In a connection for a door and a door closer, an arm having attachment to the door closer, a door member having attachment to the door and constrained to move along said arm, the attachment to the door comprising a' bracket secured to the door and a connecting member secured to said bracket, the said connecting member being adjustable relative to said bracket whereby when the door is closed, the arm is substantially parallel with but spaced from said door.

Ll. In a connection of the character described, an operating member having a shaft energized to operate in one direction, a lever secured to said shaft and adapted to be moved thereby` an elcment adapted to move radially in the lever, the said element being attached to an operated member, and means for adjusting the element relative to the operated member whereby a change in a force exerted by the operating member on the operated member is effected.

5. In a connection for a door and door closer, a lever secured to the door closer and adapted to be moved thereby, an element adapted to move radially along said lever, the said element being attached to a door, and means for adjusting the element relative to the door whereby a force applied to said door is changed as the said door approaches a closed position.

6. In a connection for a door and a door closer, an arm having an inner end portion attached to the door closer, a member constrained to move longitudinally along said arm, a support for said member having an attachment on said door, said attachment being so located on said door that the said member is adjacent to the inner end of the arm when the door is closed and is adjacent to an outer end of the arm when the door is open.

7. In a connection for a door and a door closer, an arm having an inner end portion attached to the door closer, a member constrained to move along said arm, a support for said member having an attachment on said door, said attachment being so located on said door that the distance of said member from said door closer is a minimum when the door is closed and is a maximum when the door is open, the said maximum distance being in excess ofV twice the said minimum distance.

8. In a connection for a door and a door closer, an arm having an inner end portion attached to the door closer, a member constrained to move alongsaid arm, a support for said member having an attachemnt on said door, said attachment being so located on said door that the distance of said member from said door closer is a minimum when the door is closed and that said distance is a maximum When the said door is open, the seid maximum distance being approximately three times the said minimum distance, and said arm having a stop to prevent the said member from passing beyond said maximum distance.

9. In a connection for a door and a door closer, an arrn having an inner end portion attached to a shaft of a door cioser, a member constrained to move along said arm, a support for said member having an attachment on said door, said attachment being so located on said door relative to said door closer that the distance from the shaft of the door closer to the aforesaid member when the door is fully opened is in excess of three times the distance from the shaft to the said 5 member when the door is closed.

COURTNEY N. MITCHELL. 

